I'll Always Find You
by charminghook
Summary: "Promise?" Emma asks, her voice firm but soft as she tries to return his smile. "Always." Hook strokes her cheek with his thumb. "I'll always find you." The final battle against the Wicked Witch.


**Captain Swan fic for lcillianjones. Surprise! I'm your Secret Shipmate! You listed off some things you loved about Captain Swan, and from that I spun this. I hope you enjoy it, love.**

* * *

They push forward through the Enchanted Forest, moving quietly as to not give away their position. They're making a move against Regina's castle - the _Wicked Witch's _castle, that she's come to take possession of. It's madness, but that seems to work for them. It's now or never.

A lot's happened and a lot's changed, in the past few months. Some people died, others were revealed as traitors, others return from the grave seemingly. (She still remembers everyone's surprise when Rumpelstiltskin appeared in all his glory once more.) It's been hectic from the start, and it's all come down to this. Either they win here, or they fail, and they're done. And that's it, because they won't be around for another attempt.

As she sneaks through the foliage, Emma feels the pressure of another hand in hers. She turns her head to find Hook walking along beside her, their hands intertwined at their sides. The way he's looking at her conveys so many words, and so much he wants to say. There's a lot she wishes she could tell him too. _I love you_, she opens her mouth then shuts it again quickly, the words dying on her tongue. Instead she squeezes his hand tightly, hoping he understands. He smiles and she knows he does.

They come to a halt just a little ways off, using the edge of the treeline as cover, and Emma turns to face him. Hook steps in close, and if it were nearly anyone else, at any time before, she would have stepped back - would have been uncomfortable with the close proximity. But not him. Not after everything. His hand gently lets go of hers, and before she can miss the comfort, it moves up to rest on her cheek.

"If everything goes as planned, I'll find you on the inside in no time." he says, and a smile forms on his lips, small but reassuring none the less. Hook and Robin are leading the Merry Men and Pirates through the front gates, the blunt force against the flying monkeys and temporary distraction, while Emma and the others enter through an underground tunnel Regina informed them of.

"Promise?" Emma asks, her voice firm but soft as she tries to return his smile. Because after everyone they've lost, she can't bear the thought of him being one of them.

"Always." Hook strokes her cheek with his thumb. "I'll always find you." he says sincerely, holding her gaze for a long moment before his hand falls away and he steps back. Robin and Hook break away from the group along with their men, preparing to lead the first open attack. She watches as he looks over his shoulder, catches her eye, one last time before stepping out her line of sight.

(Emma doesn't miss the look her mother is giving her when she turns back towards her own group, but Snow doesn't say anything, instead ushering her to follow after Regina, who's leading the way to the tunnel.)

* * *

It's a long fight, with casualties on both side, but in the end _they've won_. It's over now. The Wicked Witch is defeated, and they can finally rest in peace. Emma can finally enjoy time with her family, and see her son again. Henry, Roland, her new baby sister Eva and the few other children were sent away with the dwarves in order to keep them safe and out of the battle, and Emma's missed him so much. She and Regina both. Now that they're safe, that everyone's safe, it means they can come back.

She sees Hook crossing the floor of what was a ballroom towards her, and Emma smiles. He's bloody and she no doubt looks scuffed up, but they're _alive _and that's what matters. Emma closes the distance to meet him, and the pair grin at each other. She can't help but let out a giggle, leaning into his body as her forehead falls against his shoulder. She's _happy_, because it's done and her family's safe and she feels _so relieved_. His arms wraps around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and Emma welcomes the embrace.

"I told you I would find you." he whispers into her ear.

And he did. Emma was backed up against the wall, two of the Wicked Witch's henchmen both converging on her. Then he was there, sword in hand, swinging with deadly accuracy. They worked together easily, falling into step and covering for the other's backside. They stayed that way for nearly the entire fight, until Hook broke off to help one of his former crew members that they had run into during their time in the Enchanted Forest, while Emma went to her mother's aid.

"You did." she murmurs into his leather jacket, and wants nothing more than to grab a hold of him and hold on tightly, keeping him pressed against her. Her hands come to rest up on his chest, and she lifts her head from his shoulder to look him in the eye again. Despite the wear of battle, she sees the same light in his eyes that she feels - the relief of the end, the joy of victory. His eyes shine brilliantly, the prettiest shade of blue Emma's ever seen. She wonders if their child will have those eyes.

(She's pregnant, nearly two months, and she hasn't told anyone yet. Because this was her fight just as much as it was theirs, and Emma refused to be sidelined. She'll tell him soon enough.)

"Did you ever doubt I would?" he says with a grin, and it almost sounds like he's teasing.

Emma shakes her head. "Not for a moment." It's the truth, because she didn't allow herself to consider the alternative. The version where Hook didn't find her, where he didn't make it inside the castle, is unfathomable. It causes a pain in her chest just to think about. Her fingers tighten their grip on him reflexively, and for a moment she thinks she'll never let him go again. (Emma's pretty sure he wouldn't be too upset over it though.)

But then a sharp pain spreads from the center of her hand, and she pulls it back to look. There's a bloody gash across her palm, ugly as it is large. She doesn't recall when she got it - must've been in the battle sometime. Now that everything has settled, it's decided to make itself apparent. Hook furrows his eyebrows, staring down at the cut.

"Got any more rum?" Emma jokes. Hook laughs, and she feels him let go of his grip around her waist as his hand reaches into one of his jacket pockets, and after a moment, it reappears along with the silver of his flask.

In a moment reminiscent of what feels like so long ago, back when they had hardly known each other, he lifts it to his mouth and pulls out the cork with his mouth. With delicacy, he pours the liquor across her hand, over the cut. She hisses in pain, but it fades and Emma is none the less amused. Hook re-pockets the rum before ripping off a strand of fabric from his shirt, wrapping it around the wound as tightly as possible and ties it with his mouth. Emma struggles and fails not to grin, giggling like a teenager. It's all so familiar, her memories fond as she thinks back. She presses her forehead against his.

(This time she's not leaving him behind.)

"I love you, Swan." Hook says, his breath hot against her cheek. Emma wraps her arms around his neck.

"I love you, too." and it's the first time she's been able to say so aloud.

Hook has always been more open with his affection for Emma, while she has a harder time making her feelings known. So many times the words have been on the tip of her tongue, only to be swallowed back down again and again. She's always hoped he knew how she felt - he's so good at reading her, knowing what's on her mind even when she can't find the words to say it. But she knows how happy he must be to hear it, finally.

She can feel his smile as he presses his lips against hers.


End file.
